In The Unforeseen, a developer wants to take a precious piece of open land and turn it into McMansions. Locals try to stop the developer and a series of political and legal disputes result in personal attacks and hurt feelings on both sides. Sound familiar? This film may eerily parallel the Valley Floor story in Telluride, but it’s actually about a fierce battle over the special Barton Springs in Austin, Texas. You wouldn’t think a real estate dispute would make a great film, but this documentary—directed by Laura Dunn and executive-produced by Terence Malick and Robert Redford—is enormously compelling, deeply thoughtful and beautifully made (and filmed by talented cinematographer Lee Daniel). Maybe someone should talk to the Valley Floor about optioning its story.
—David Holbrooke